FOOD

Places available from 8 February 2017

Time was, we would eat any doughnut offered to us. Having now learnt how to make the heavenly Bread Ahead doughnuts, we are somewhat fussier. Even if you’ve never tried one, you’ve probably seen pictures of them on Instagram, recognisable from the crowning blob of filling (jam or crème patisserie, often) always placed at the top. If you’re anything like us, you probably considered doughnuts a business best left to the professionals. The Bread Ahead bakery and school in Borough Market now offers doughnut workshops, however! We tried the workshop the day after Donald Trump was elected and the class offered exactly the kind of distraction we needed. Making doughnuts should feel like both a slightly ridiculous and also joyful activity, not least syringing enough of your chosen filling into the deep fried doughnut so that it feels plump! Our tutor, Aidan Chapman, was on hand to explain each step of the process, including the addition of lemon zest to the dough to stop it tasting oily after it was fried. He also gamely encouraged us to feel that these doughnuts could be part of a “clean eating” programme because they don’t contain additives. Nice try, Aidan.